In this remarkably accessible, concise, and engaging introduction to the philosophy of religion, steven m. Common creation story, body of god, perichoresis, interrelatedness, trinity. Examining the work of such influential thinkers as james gustafson, sallie mcfague, rosemary radford ruether, john cobb, peter singer, and holmes rolston, sideris proposes a more realistic ethic that combines evolutionary theory with theological insight, advocates a minimally interventionist stance toward nature, and values the processes over. Sallie mcfague was the carpenter professor of theology at vanderbilt divinity school, where she taught for thirty years.
Ecospirituality in the theologies of sallie mcfague and leonardo boff. Environmental ethics and christian theologyby willis jenkins oxford university press, oxford, 2008. Yet government, business, and individuals have been largely in denial of the possibility that global warming may put our species on the road to extinction. Developing a model of praxis from sallie mcfagues theological call for consumption reduction by jessica claire fraser hetherington thesis submitted to the faculty of theology, saint paul university, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the doctorate of philosophy degree in theology ottawa, canada. By classical accounts, ethics is people relating to people in justice and love. For mcfague, models and beliefs shape our practices and the lives we live, such that the fictions of theology matter. Pdf ecofeminism and environmental ethics researchgate. Environmental ethics, ecological theology, and natural. Christian theological anthropology and environmental ethics.
Toward an ecotheological anthropology digital commons. In the last chapter she shows how her views can provide the basis for an environmental ethics of community with care as the highest value and justice being in the service of caring. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not sallie mcfagues body of god model is an adequate resource for a christian ecological theology. May 01, 1993 mcfague describes a panentheistic vision of god the whole universe as gods body empowered by the divine spirit. Mcfague maintains the dualism of both the physical and the spiritual realms of reality and thus the dualism of soul and body. Believing our theology informs our ethics, sallie mcfague pragmatically suggests how our theology could be changed to achieve the ethical goals of survival for our planet and improving the wellbeing of. Assisted migration as an ethical imperative in an era of climate change search. Environmental ethics, ecological theology, and natural selection.
God, the world, and global warming 9780800662714 by sallie mcfague. Roots in tradition, liturgical and ethical practice for today, p. Sallie mcfagues pioneering work, metaphorical theology, raises epistemological questions regarding theological language. Our theologies are far from innocent when it comes to the issues of environmental ethics, caring for creation, and seeking justice for those on the receiving end of environmental and. The world is our meeting place with god as the body of god, it is wondrously, awesomely, divinely mysterious. Environmental ethics introduction to ethics focus on climate change ce 2505 san francisco theological seminary. Climate change promises monumental changes to human and other planetary life in the next generations. Compare one theme from mcfague with that of northcott. The organic, ecological model that mcfague introduces in thebodyof godthat is, a model based on an understanding that supports both radical individuality and differencewhile at the same time insisting on radical. In one sense, it is a highly focused, limited project. Friday 0, september 26 2014, new college, eh1 2lx course description.
I sketch the major debates in the field from its inception in the 1970s to today, explaining both the central tenets of the schools of thought within the field and the arguments. Sallie mcfague, a new climate for theology ch 1, 2, 3 may 6 mcfague, ch 4, 5 may 10 2 page class project report due. A leading theologians analysis of the root problems behind climate change proposes a relational, ecofriendly notion of what it is to be human. An overview katie mcshane colarado state university abstract this essay provides an overview of the field of environmental ethics. Mcfague develops such an alternative organic model in response to the ecological crisis and what she believes as a common story of creation. Sallie mcfague 1933 november 15, 2019 was an american feminist christian theologian, best known for her analysis of how metaphor lies at the heart of how we may speak about god. With an unusually high percentage of women contributors and thoughtful study questions, it is an outstanding text for use in introductory religion courses. Notice how this reshapes ones presentation of the eco crisis narrative.
It is located on the abstract and hypothetical level and is thus a nonempirical analysis of mcfagues thought. She writes as a theologian, but one who takes evolutionary and ecological science very seriously. The second part of the book generally assesses the contributions and problematics of ecofeminist spiritualities karen warren especially with respect to specific issues. Christian theology in response to global climate change. Also read vernice miller travis, social transformation through.
The analysis focuses on the works of karen warren, sallie mcfague. Mcfague, unlike northcott, does not locate a golden age, though she, unlike ruether, does locate a prior age of wilderness, resistant to dualisms, that gives her theology the shape of being formed a bit more by the declension narrative than other theologians in the inflection type. Reviews exploring philosophy of religion is a rich cornucopia of western religious topics, traditions, and issues, both past and present. Theologian sallie mcfague has suggested that one possible answer to. While numerous philosophers have written on this topic throughout history, environmental ethics really. Ecology, ethics and religion course code thet 10021 course manager.
Womens broken bodies in gods broken earth by melissa browning in places where the earth is broken by environmental. Introduction sallie mcfague taught at the vanderbilt university divinity school in nashville, tn where she was. She is now distinguished theologian in residence at the vancouver school of theology in vancouver, british columbia. Jan 16, 2020 sallie mcfague broke new ground in how we think about god through metaphors as feminist theology was just emerging, and the connections of religion with economics and ecology as environmental theology began to find its voice, said emilie townes, current dean of vanderbilts divinity school. Mcfague describes a panentheistic vision of god the whole universe as gods body empowered by the divine spirit. Sallie mcfague, 19332019 times higher education the. The movement has produced numerous religious environmental projects around.
Sally mcfague, a theologian who investigates the connections of religion with economics and ecology, the 2010 edition of state of the world, a highlyregarded annual report, suggests that religions must be major players in the most important twosided crisis of our timethe economic and ecological one. It is a view that can inspire real change, an altered lifestyle, and a form of christian discipleship and desire appropriate to who we really are. This book was written before her later book models of god which refers back to this one several times. Sallie mcfague, rosemary radford ruether, john cobb, peter singer, and holmes rolston, sideris proposes a more realistic ethic that combines evolutionary theory with. Forum on religion and ecology christianity and ecology. The study endeavours to evaluate, test and revise this particular theological model. The nature of christian environmental ethics is evolving in the context of the signs of. Sallie mcfague, a new climate for theology fortress, 2008 lisa h. Ethics for a small planet 2010 policy statements 1. An ecological theology, is about that way of thinking. Sallie mcfagues theology draws on the common creation story of postmodern science and the model of the universe as gods body to remythologize the christian tradition in the face of ecological crisis.
Studies of religion environmental ethics cssn catholic. Christian theological anthropology and environmental ethics article pdf available in journal of agricultural and environmental ethics 123. Such reflection has strong precedents in most religious traditions in the realms of ethics and cosmology. A critical analysis of sallie mcfagues body of god model as. A traditional science grounded in environmental ethics. She applied this approach in particular to ecological issues, writing extensively on care for the earth as if it were gods body. A critical analysis of salli e mcfagues body of god model. Through the subjectsubjects worldview and the close attention embodied in nature writing, we can learn to bring. It is located on the abstract and hypothetical level and is thus a nonempirical analysis of mcfague s thought.
Dwyer, foundations of christian ethics paulist press, 1987 in the journal of religion 70 january 1990. Syllabus for ecojustice now ethics course at bangor. An overall aim of this seminar is to equip students to become more sensitive, thoughtful, and collaborative as environmental professionals, and in making personal choices about the environment. Sallie mcfague is the most widely read exponent of an ecological theology that responds creatively to recent environmental crises. Environmental ethics, ecological theology, and natural selection suffering and responsibility. A book of readings, crossroad, 1988 in the journal of religion p. An excellent overview of bibliographies in environmental ethics and ecology and religion is provided by the international society for environmental ethics. These are some closing words from my book models of god, a book that dealt principally with immanental modelsgod as mother, lover, and friend of the world. Other important sources are the environmental philosophers and ethicists j. A case method approach james martinschramm and robert stivers orbis, 2003.
University of kwazulunatal, pietermaritzburg, 2006the purpose of this study is to determine whether or not sallie mcfague s body of god model is an adequate resource for a christian ecological theology. For a couple decades now, sallie mcfague has been an important and insightful voice in the conversation regarding christianity and ecological deterioration. Ecofeminist thinkers draw on the concept of gender to analyse the relationships between humans and the natural world. Feminist theology especially ruether, rosemary radford.
Reviewed by john scull most christians either do not know how to relate to nature or they relate to it as western culture does, as an object for our use. The analysis focuses on the works of karen warren, sallie mcfague, chris cuomo, and carolyn merchant. Sallie mcfague born 1933 is an american feminist christian theologian, who has written other books such as super, natural christians,models of god,metaphorical theology. Exploring philosophy of religion paperback steven m. Forum on religion and ecology christianity and ecology bibliography bibliography and annotations by. Rethinking theology and economy for a planet in peril fortress press 2001 3. In the second part, we will examine in depth some particular policy issues in applied environmental ethics. My focus was a conscious one, meant to balance the heavy transcendence of the christian doctrine of god. Sally mcfague, a theologian who investigates the connections of religion with economics and ecology, the 2010 edition of state of the world, a highlyregarded annual report, suggests that religions must be major players in the most important twosided crisis of. Williams, catherine keller, sallie mcfague, judaism judith plaskow, buddhism stephanie kaza, and hinduism lina gupta. Sustainable development and the moral life prenticehall, 2003 carol robb, wind, sun, soil, spirit. Believing our theology informs our ethics, sallie mcfague pragmatically suggests how our theology could be changed to achieve the ethical goals of survival for our planet and improving the wellbeing of the poor and oppressed.
Sallie mcfague broke new ground in how we think about god through metaphors as feminist theology was just emerging, and the connections of religion with economics and ecology as environmental theology began to find its voice, said emilie townes, current dean of. Ecotheology is a form of constructive theology that focuses on the interrelationships of religion. This unique anthology features a clear, wellorganized structure and careful editing of many articles in order to sharpen their focus and make them understandable to students with little or. Pub10 1 the teaching of environmental ethics unesco. A critical analysis of salli e mcfagues body of god model as. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not sallie mcfague s body of god model is an adequate resource for a christian ecological theology. Nov 06, 2017 sallie mcfagues pioneering work, metaphorical theology, raises epistemological questions regarding theological language. This book is a collection of readings from sallie mcfagues most essential theological works. The issues surrounding the uses of masculine and feminine metaphors for god can be complicated and emotional, but sallie mcfague tries to keep to the issues of metaphor and theology as suggested in the title. Sallie mcfague on economics and ecology in our time. Augustine of hippo 354430 claimed something similar in his understanding of sin. Environmental ethics internet encyclopedia of philosophy.
Hannah ka deconstructs a wide range of christian approaches to environmental ethics and reinterprets sallie mcfagues body of god ecological theology through a. God, the world, and global warmingby sallie mcfague fortress, minneapolis, 2008. In this collection, sallie mcfague offers a lucid and powerful guide to theological thinking about god and the world, individual and community, humanity and nature, reality and metaphor, the sacramental and the prophetic, and the critical issue of climate change. She was distinguished theologian in residence at the vancouver school of theology. Baird callicott, paul taylor, irene klaver, bryan g. The main aim of the teaching of environmental ethics is to develop the students ability to identify and analyze ethical issues in polices and actions related to environment, nature, and nonhuman forms of life in order to be able to make ethically correct decisions and to act ethically. Environmental ethics starts with human concerns for a quality. Norton, christopher stone, eugene hargrove, holmes rolston iii, per ariansen, don e.
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